Photographic developing tray



Jan. 5, 1943.

J. J. BROWN PHOTOGRAPHIC DEVELOPING TRAY Filed May 29, 1940 zlvwc/nto'vJfSSE J. BROWN Patented Jan. 5, 1943 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2Claims.

This invention relates to trays for developing photographic films. Thetray of the present invention is, or may be, generally of usual type inthe form of a more or less shallow pan or basin usually of rectangularshape, which is partly filled with the developing liquid through whichthe film strip is drawn first in one direction then in another by theoperator holding one end in each hand.

In the use of such trays it is convenient to allow the end of the filmwhich is being lowered to rest against the end of the tray in a more orless slack condition, and this results in a tendency of the film toadhere to that end of the tray, owing to capillary attraction from itswet condition. Thus, excess solution running down the film being loweredinto or raised from the tray, overflows over the top edge of the tray,which wastes the solution and creates a messy condi tion.

The present invention relates to provision for guiding these endportions of the film so that they are held spaced a small distance awayfrom the end of the tray and its upper edge so that this tendency toskim ofi excess solution as overflow is avoided. The invention will bebetter understood from the following detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing and the distinctive features ofnovelty will be thereafter pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a photographic developing tray showingone embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a partial lengthwise vertical sectional view on a largerscale; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detail in horizontal section on line 3-3 ofFigure 2.

l0 denotes the tray which may as usual be made of glass, rubber,porcelained steel, stainless steel, or any suitable material pressed ormolded to the required shape which as illustratively shown is the usualshallow rectangular basin or pan. In accordance with my invention,

ribs or bosses ll may be formed to extend inwardly a small distance fromthe ends of the tray, these being vertically arranged and spaced apartalong the ends; any desired number of these ribs or bosses may beprovided, two of them being shown at each end. It is necessary thatthese ribs should not extend quite to the top of the tray, out theyshould terminate a small distance below, as indicated at [2, but theymay go entirely or nearly to the bottom of the tray. In use the filmstrip F is passed back and forth through the developing fluid orsolution S in the tray as usual, with the operator holding one end ofthe film in each hand. It will be noted that the film is held spacedaway from the tray ends sufficiently so that there will be no skimmingoff of the excess fluid from the Wet film over the top edges of thetray, and thus all this solution is kept in the tray without wasteage. Iam aware that the invention may be embodied in other specific formswithout departing from the spirit or essen tial attributes thereof, andI therefore desire the present embodiment to be considered in 'allrespects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to theappended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate thescope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A tray for developing photographic films in strip form havinginwardly extending vertical spacing ribs at the ends thereof, said ribsspaced apart somewhat less than the width of the film and terminatingshort of the top edge of the tray to guide the film so that it is heldaway from the top edges of said tray ends.

2. A tray for developing photographic films of sheet material in stripform, having ribs molded inwardly from the ends thereof terminatingshort of the top of said ends, said ribs extending vertically, spacedapart somewhat less than the width of the film, and adapted to guide thefilm strip so that it is held away from the top edges of the tray ends.

JESSE J. BROWN.

